Once Felmenia’s Truth Flare (白炎薙) fades, the smell of scorched and melted bricks permeates a disastrous scene. Graziella isn’t amused. She closes her eyes and contains her rising magical power. She has not moved since seeing Suimei and Felmenia run off.

An attendant walks up to Graziella, bows, and speaks to her from that stooped position. “Shall we give chase?”
“It’s fine, just ignore them.”
“Is doing such wise? We can have that man arrested on charges of profanity from his conduct earlier.”
“That certainly could be done, but that man is wounded. Furthermore, he is being accompanied by the White Flame-dono. If we go at them too hard, we may end up causing needless friction with Aster.”
“Except,”

Graziella flips around her coat as she says, “If you lot wish to seize him, I won’t prevent you. That said, can any of you actually pull that off?” The way her attendant glances to the side tells her how difficult such a duty would be.

Giving chase in order to arrest Suimei would require the pursuer to use magic comparable to Graziella’s trump card. Even if several exceptionally talented individuals of the Elite Twelve were involved, capturing him would prove a struggle. Graziella’s attendants, although able to boast about being second to none, cannot honestly claim they’d be able to reliably carry out the arrest.

On the other hand, even when Graziella lorded over Suimei, not only did he not even care to introduce himself, his forehead was covered in sweat. He’s a skilled spellcaster, but he also waved his hand in contempt at mention of the goddess. While Graziella is bold enough to behave like that, such people are not numerous.

Graziella sighs out in annoyance as she says, “In addition, ani-ue still gets angry when I go too far.” She then turns to Elliot and Christa to add, “That said, you two are with me, got it?”
“…Understood.”
“Fu, you’re surprisingly understanding.”
“Should I add, ‘although vehemently reluctant,’ to that?”
“No, as I thought, you’re an impudent one.”

Graziella returns to her tent with those words. Elliot and Christa follow behind her. Christa wears a grim expression the entire time, but Elliot’s agreement to the situation keeps anything from coming of it.

“Fu,” Graziella comes to a stop and she turns towards the partially destroyed plaza. Loose bricks lay scattered about, exposing the soil underneath while thickets of vegetation and bushes lay scattered about the disaster zone. Frustration leaks into her curt tone as she adds, “……Some dissatisfaction remains, but well, I suppose that’s enough for today.”

Although much of the plaza was destroyed by her magic and the fire magic of Felmenia, Suimei’s magic power is what exerted the most influence on the place. Even objects beyond the plaza crumbled from sheer exposure to his surge of magical power. Furthermore, the vestiges of that power can still be felt on the skin.

Graziella realizes that was only the beginning. As such, her hands are damp with sweat. A regretful sigh escapes her.

–I see Cute Star, I paste Cute Star ★–

—A voice can be heard.

A child’s voice cries out in rejection. It’s a voice despairing over everything in the world[1]. “Go away, go away!”

The bitterness echoing within the voice calls out to Suimei. His eyes open and before him, as though blurred by a heat haze, appears a hazy figure. The figure is young and appears to have been burned and beaten. It’s a figure that was thoroughly tormented.

The face of the young figure looks familiar to Suimei. It belongs to someone who despite her youth, no longer carries a trace of childhood on her face. She is someone who wears an expression of indifference, of someone doing all she can to keep her fear hidden inside her heart. That is the sort of gallant expression she wears.

However, currently, her face is flowing with tears. Having been crushed by anguish, the light in her eyes is being swallowed.

Were you attacked? Are you being attacking?
—No, are you going to be attacked?

She is going to be burned and stepped on like a bug and transformed into that wretched figure. It’s as if they are saying that is the reward she deserves.

Just what kind of reward is this? Shouldn’t this be given to those running rampart with atrociousness instead of the ones suffering hardship?

Yet, he can neither shout nor request to another. His mouth seems to have been blocked. As such, he can only watch as the young girl stops crying. Soon after, she begins to tremble and her form is colored black, a black that bubbles out and envelops her.

Are you giving in and accepting that which you shouldn’t?

Her original appearance can no longer be seen within the swelling mass. Magical power scatters about as those who tormented her and even the buildings are swallowed up. The black cluster expands without limit, destroying the neighborhood and lives of those living there.

He can hear her voice laced in grief. In anger, she repeats, “Why, how?” She despairs as she waits and waits for an answer from the heavens.

“Why only me?”

“Why did I turn into something like this?”

The highest existence known is requested for an answer. Then, upon receiving the answer, despite not returning to her original appearance, she tries to fill the desolate emptiness hollowing her chest.

Her crying voice remains within his ears. He wants to save her heart, to reverse the resentment within her voice.

Why did nobody reach out to save that girl? How is such a world of hopeless isolation like this without a single person to depend allowed to exist[2]?

Despite confirmation for the truth, weeping voices continue to exist.
—Therefore, that’s why I can’t forgive such injustices.

Despite confirmation for the truth, people aren’t being rescued.
—Therefore, I fight against such outcomes.

Despite confirmation for the truth, the wind in my chest will never cease flowing.
—Therefore, I’ll hear those voices.

“Stand up.”

“Stand up and go finish what you need to do.”

A peaceful, ultramarine temptation is whispered into his ear.

—This is my curse. A curse that tormented my father, and then my mother. I will not be released from it until I die.

–Another Cute Star is seen, Another Cute Star is pasted ★–

Felmania succeeds in escaping the southern plaza. Out of consideration for pursuers, she leaves the main street for side alleys. Through them, she rushes back to the Yakagi household.

From there, she sets Suimei down on the chair outside his house and entrusts his body to the table. Lefille, having been waiting outside in worry the whole time, rushes over to them.

In a fluster, she alternates looking between Suimei and Felmenia as she says, “Fue, Felmenia-dono! What the heck happened to you two!?”

Disgust crosses Felmenia’s face as she summarizes what happened at the southern plaza. She mentions that they met Elliot, that Graziella issued a draft upon them for the sake of searching for the culprit, and that Suimei engaged Graziella in a battle of magic in order to avoid the draft.

Lefille’s expression turns grim upon hearing that brief outline. She moans as she says, “…As expected of Suimei-kun, to stand against the Imperial Princess, Graziella, despite those injuries…”

“Despite my earlier claim to leave it to me, I have failed. I was unable to prevent the battle between Suimei-dono and Her Highness, the Imperial Princess, Graziella. Escaping was all I could manage…”

“No, against that Imperial Princess, Graziella, escaping while carrying someone else is plenty. There is nothing more you could have done, Felmenia-dono……” Lefille’s tone shifts with anger. With clenched fists, she seems to glare at the Empire’s absent Imperial Princess. “Still, Graziella, she really did as she pleased.”

“Lefille?”

“…Ah, no, it’s nothing. More importantly, Felmenia-dono, how is Suimei-kun’s condition?”

“His physical wounds do not seem all that sever. I fear that he is likely suffering backlash from the sudden expansion and attenuation of magical power. However…”

“…How guhh.” Suimei, collapsed on the table, groans out without opening his eyes. He appears to be suffering from a nightmare.

“His symptoms are not serious. I believe he will be fine…”

“That said, he has no choice but to rest…” Lefille, in the middle of her words, senses someone approaching from the entrance of the alleyway. 

Pursuers? With a bad premonition coming over her, she calls out in an intimidating tone, “Who’s there!?”

The newcomer is taken aback by Lefille’s voice. The silhouette slowly comes into view and enters the alley.

“Did I… startle you?” Romion, a male elf, appears with an apologetic expression.

Felmenia, having met him once, recognizes his voice.  She says, “If I’m not mistaken, are you not the librarian of the Imperial Library…? For what reason are you here?”

“Apologies, I saw you, Stingray-san, carrying Yakagi-kun down the street on your back just now and feared that the culprit might be responsible.”

“So that is the reason…?”

Romion approaches Felmenia and Lefille and asks, “What happened? Yakagi-kun appears to have lost consciousness.”

“He had a battle in the southern plaza with Her Highness, the Imperial Princess, Graziella.”

“What!? Against that Tectonic Emperor!?  Why the heck would he…”

Suimei regains his consciousness and raises his face from the table as Romion cries out in shock.

Lefille and Felmenia both cry out.
“Suimei-kun!”
“You have opened your eyes?!”

Suimei looks around and tries to make sense of his situation. “Ugh… this is? The house?”

“Yes, you are in front of your house. I rushed you here from there, so not much time has passed.”

Suimei turns around to thank Felmenia for her explanation.  “Ahh, my bad. Thanks for carryi— wait!? Librarian-san, what are you doing here…?”

“Right, my apologies. I saw your appearance on the street and came here upon growing worried.”

Suimei’s expression stiffens as he says, “…I see.”

From there, Romion speaks to Suimei. “Yakagi-kun, your body is terrible condition. May I examine you?”

Is he offering due to being a magical healer?

With a serious expression, Suimei looks at Romion and says, “I’m fine. I have a good understanding of my body. I fainted due to expelling to much magical power in one go.”

“Is that so…?”

Suimei, upon clearly refusing Romion’s request, stands. He then begins walking towards the entrance of the alley.

Lefille calls out to him in a fluster. “Suimei-kun! Where do you think you’re going!?”

“I’m going to search for Liliana. With those guys seriously searching for her, I need to hurry up and find her.”

Felmenia says, “Su-Suimei-dono!? You are making such a claim in your condition!?”

Romion watches the two girls attempt to detain Suimei from being unreasonable and heading off. With doubt lacing his voice, he asks, “…By chance, you don’t mean to say you’re searching for the culprit behind the coma incidents, do you?”

“……Yeah.”

“Yakagi-kun, I ask that you stop. How will you accomplish anything with your body as it is? This action of yours is extremely reckless. Until your body is fully recovered, you should refrain from searching for the culprit.”

Suimei comes to a quiet stop upon hearing Romion’s objection.

Felmenia and Lefille use that opportunity to again persuade him from leaving.
“Romion-dono has a point. Suimei-dono, please take your own health into account here.”
“That’s right, Suimei-kun. His words make sense. Don’t be reckless.”

“…I understand.” Suimei turns around at their urgings and drops back down on the chair.

Romion, out of concern, says to Suimei, “…In that case, I will go. Yakagi-kun, please, I again request you keep from doing anything unreasonable.”

Suimei, having his back at Romion, raises his hand in response towards that concern. Seeing that, Romion nods towards Felmenia and Lefille before then returning to the main street.

…A few moments later,
“…Is he gone?” Suimei’s tone and gaze as he turns around to ask Felmenia about Romion’s whereabouts are low and sharp.

“Eh? Yes, Romion-dono has already left.”

Suimei, with the words, “I see,” stands. He has no intention of returning to his house.

Felmenia picks up on the subtly and directs a stern expression at him. “Suimei-dono!? You do not mean…”

“Su-Suimei-kun! Weren’t you going to stay here!?”

“………I will go after resting a bit. More importantly, if I don’t move now, something seriously bad might happen.”

Lefille says, “Why now? Why are you in such a hurry? This is nothing like you.”

Suimei’s voice is laced with urgency. “I am impatient. That dangerous woman is still out there. Thanks to that, I can’t sit around here. I’m sorry, but we need to split into groups to search for Liliana, please.”

Lefille sighs at hearing Suimei desperately beg for help for another person.  “……Haa.”

“You won’t?”

“That’s not it. It’s just—”

“—What are you saying, Suimei-dono? Your words are a complete contradiction. Back at the royal castle, you were utterly reluctant to endanger yourself. Here in the imperial capital, you are plunging head first into danger.” Felmenia cuts in, her voice laced with exasperation.

Lefille stares at Suimei, her gaze in complete agreement.

Suimei falters, struck by his own immorality. “Yo- you’re right, but… there are times people can’t ignore what’s going on and times they have to act, right?”

Lefille says, “That’s, well yeah, but…”

“Right now, this is that for me. That’s why, I have to go.”

Lefille grimaces at those words and criticizes him. “Well, Suimei-kun, although taking action when you know you should is good, you’ll be in for another sermon[3].”

“Ugh… Lefille, spare me your sermon.”

“Not a chance. Last time clearly wasn’t enough. I get the feeling you and I need to have a good long talk.”

Suimei stares at Lefille with half closed eyes at her stern tone. “…I wonder, is this something someone who unreasonably ran off to fight Rajas should be saying?”

“Uguh!?”

“Wasn’t the you of that time way less reliable than the of me right now?”

Lefille is thrown into dismay by Suimei’s words. She can only moan back in response. “Ug, ughhhh…”

Suimei continues to jab at her sore spot. “Can you refute it?”

Lefille cries out in defeat. “Ri-Right now, this isn’t about me! We’re talking about you!”

“Fu-n.”

“A-At any rate! Be-Be careful!”

Suimei, at Lefille’s deceptive answer, asks the two another question. “Got it…. Just, how?”

Lefille once more resumes her strict attitude an says, “Until your body gets better, the condition is for you to not do anything unreasonable.

“Okay.”

On the other side, Felmenia adds, “I came here for the sake of assisting Suimi-dono. Let us work together on this.”

“I’m sorry, and thanks.” Suimei then tends to his wounds with magic. The affected areas touched by his hand glow with a pale green light that then rise up as particles to create a green haze.

“Suimei-dono, has something happened to your body? Before when you lost consciousness, it seemed to be a result of your magical power expanding and attenuating all at once.”

“Quite a lot. I seem to have succumbed to AMF.”

Lefille responds to the phrase she heard before. “AMF…? Something like that happened to your body after you took down Rajas.”

Felmenia, however, is at a complete loss. “Ei em ef[4]… was it?”

“— AMF, that’s to say, Acute Magic Failure. Living beings have a limit to the magical power that can be expended or released. When magical power is exhausted, symptoms occur. In mild cases, they can include fatigue; nerve pain and convulsions; or fainting, loss of lucidity, and the like. The result is the body being unable to move. However, in sever cases, organ failure is quite possible. In my case, I invoked my magic furnace and underwent a drastic expenditure of magical power, one my body couldn’t immediately supply. As such, I exhibited mild symptoms.”

“Then, at this moment?”

“My body is recovering. All that’s left is to heal the injuries given to me by that dangerous woman.”

Lefille then asks, “You were calling out in your sleep earlier. What sort of nightmare did you see?”

“…? No, I should have lost consciousness. Dreaming isn’t something that should have been possible during that brief period of time.”

Lefille wonders if he was groaning due to his injuries, but then sees he’s completely baffled by her question. He doesn’t seem to be trying to hide anything either. “Really…? No, never mind. It’s nothing.”

Suimei tilts his head, but he has no memory of the ultramarine’s temptation.

Lefille the says, “Suimei-kun, what about Graziella?”

Suimei is being asked, You didn’t beat her? He realizes what he’s about to say will come off as an excuse, but he still says, “I have a way to counter that woman’s magic, but it couldn’t be helped. My body’s condition was off. Still, a loss is a loss.”

He then turns to Felmenia, “Do you think pursuers will come?”

“No one appears to be pursuing us at the moment. Perhaps, Suimei-dono, she is taking precaution of your power?”

Lefille, all of a sudden, puffs out a smile. “Wounded beasts are frightening, after all.”

“Agreed, Her Highness, the Imperial Princess, Graziella should be able to sense that the power Suimei-dono manifested at the plaza was but an indication of his capabilities. If Suimei-dono were to despair, an absurd amount of destruction would result.”  

“…Am I a hazard?”

Felemia taciturnly and bluntly says, “Regardless of whether you are a hazard or not, are you even aware of your own power?”

There is nothing that can be said back to her.

Suimie says, “Now that I think about it, you just said no one is pursuing us, but were you able to sense that librarian-san tailing us?”

Felmenia nods at Suimei’s words with an apologetic expression. “Eh, yeah, well, about that…”

Suimei, sensing he might have taken a reproachful attitude, shakes his head in a fluster. “Sorry, I said that poorly. I wasn’t trying to criticize you. Felmenia, despite your vigilance, you were unable to pick up on Romeion’s presence?”

“……? That is the case. I didn’t notice him until Lefille sensed him.”

“Same here, I didn’t realize he was there until he entered my field of view.”

Suimei loses himself in thought upon hearing their words. “Really now…?”

That’s when Lefille says, “About that, Suimei-kun. Are you saying that Graziella isn’t the only threat?”

“What I mean to say is that there might be others moving around. That said, I have no proof.”

Lefille says, “Then, that other person? Is that the culprit?”

“About that, I’ll bring it up again once I’m more confident about it. Sorry, but wait until then.”

Once Suimei finishes treating his injuries, he walks out the alleyway’s entrance.

---

T/N: For those of you that have forgotten, Suimei has prophetic dreams that he can’t remember upon waking up. It’s been written out of the novel, but that’s what that second part between the cute stars was about.

Anyway, here is the next chapter.  It’s been long enough for people to forget what was previously translated, right. That said, that isn’t why this has been delayed. My bad~

I wonder, how many of are going to think this is an April fool’s chapter??

~Gandire Alea

[1] この世の何もかもに絶望したような
[2] そんな、誰一人として寄る辺のない孤独の絶望が、どうしてこの世では是とされてしまうのか。
[3] スイメイくんは動くべきときを弁えて行動しているからいいものの、そうでなかったら、またお説教だぞ
[4] She is trying to sound it out.

<60. Covered in Dust
62. Escaping the Shadows>